Mariano Rivera (Hall of Fame, 2019)


Date of Birth: 11/29/1969
Birthplace: Panama City, Panama

Mariano Rivera, former closer for the New York Yankees, was probably the best closer in MLB's history. Rivera, who spent his entire career in a Yankees uniform, holds the major league record for career saves. With all of his accomplishments, Rivera was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame with 100% of the votes on the first ballot.

Early Life

Rivera played both baseball and soccer as a child growing up in Panama. By his late teens, however, he turned his focus totally on baseball.

New York Yankees

Rivera was signed by the Yankees in February, 1990, and he spent five years in the minors before he was called up to join the team. He started in 1995, primarily as a starting pitcher but he was moved to the bullpen as he struggled to get players out. He played in 19 games that season (10 as a starting pitcher) and he pitched 67.0 innings, with a 5-3 win-loss record, 5.51 ERA, and 51 strikeouts to 30 walks. He pitched in three postseason games and he gave up 3 hits and no runs in 51 innings. He struck out 8 batters and walked just one.

Rivera became the setup man for the Yankees' closer in 1996, and he performed on a much higher level. That year he had career highs in innings pitched and strikeouts. He pitched 107.2 innings and he had 8 wins and 3 losses, 5 saves, 130 strikeouts to 34 walks, and a 2.09 ERA in 61 games. He pitched in 8 games in the postseason and he gave up 10 hits and 1 run in 14.1 innings. He had 10 strikeouts to 5 walks and a 0.63 ERA.

In 1997, Rivera became the Yankees closer. His statistics in his first season as a closer include 66 games played, 71.2 innings pitched, 43 saves, 1.88 ERA, and 68 strikeouts to 20 walks. He didn't play nearly as well in the postseason, giving up 2 hits and 1 run in 2.0 innings in 2 games.

Rivera had another good season in 1998, when he pitched 61.1 innings in 54 games. He won 3 games and lost none, and had 36 saves and a 1.91 ERA. In the postseason, he gave up 6 hits but no runs in 13.1 innings in 10 games. He had 6 saves and he struck out 11 batters and walked 2.

Rivera was named the AL Rolaids Relief Man in 1999, and he led the league in saves with 45. He finished the season with 4 wins and 3 losses, 52 strikeouts to 18 walks, and a 1.83 ERA in 66 games. He excelled also in the postseason and he was named the World Series MVP. In 8 games, he gave up 9 hits but no runs, he struck out 9 batters and walked just one, and he had 6 saves.

In 2000, Rivera had a 2.85 ERA with 7 wins and 4 losses, 36 saves, and 58 strikeouts to 25 walks in 66 games. He again pitched in the postseason and he gave up 10 hits and 3 runs in 15.2 innings in 10 games. He struck out 10 batters and walked 1, and had 6 saves and a 1.72 ERA.

Rivera won his second AL Rolaids Relief Man award in 2001, and he again led the league in saves. He finished the season with a 4-6 win-loss record, 50 saves, 83 strikeouts to 12 walks, and a 2.34 ERA in 80.2 innings in 71 games. His postseason numbers were also very good: 11 games, 16.0 innings, 14 strikeouts to 2 walks, 5 saves, 1.13 ERA. He gave up 12 hits and 2 earned runs.

Rivera didn't have a very good 2002 season. He had a 2.74 ERA with 1 win and 4 losses, 28 saves, and 41 strikeouts to 11 walks in 46.0 innings in 45 games. In the postseason, he pitched just 1.0 innings in 1 game and he gave up 1 hit and no runs. His 2003 season was much stronger: 5 wins to 2 losses, 40 saves, 63 strikeouts to 10 walks, and a 1.91 ERA in 70.2 innings in 64 games. In the postseason, he had a 0.56 ERA. He gave up 7 hits and 1 run in 16.0 innings in 8 games, and he struck out 14 batters while walking none.

Rivera won back-to-back AL Rolaids Relief Man awards in 2004 and 2005. He also won the Delivery Man of the Year award in 2005. He finished the 2004 season with 4 wins and 2 losses, a career high 53 saves, 66 strikeouts to 20 walks, and a 1.94 ERA in 74 games. His numbers for the regular season were even better in 2005: 7 wins and 4 losses, 43 saves, 80 strikeouts to 18 walks, and a 1.38 ERA in 71 games. He played in the postseason both years, pitching in 9 games and 12.2 innings in 2004, and in 2 games and 3.0 innings in 2005. He had a 0.71 ERA in 2004, when he gave up 8 hits and 1 run. In 2005, he had a 3.00 ERA and he gave up 1 hit and 1 run.

Rivera was again named the Delivery Man of the Year in 2006. He finished the season with 34 saves, 55 strikeouts to 11 walks, and a 1.80 ERA. In the postseason, he pitched just 1.0 innings and he gave up 1 hit and no runs.

In 2007, Rivera's ERA went up to 3.15 and his number of saves dropped to 30. He pitched 71.1 innings in 67 games and he had 74 strikeouts to 12 walks. In the postseason, he gave up 2 hits and no runs in 4.2 innings in 3 games.

Rivera had a career low ERA of 1.40 in 2008. He finished the season with 6 wins and 5 losses, 39 saves, and 77 strikeouts to 6 walks in 70.2 innings in 64 games.

The 2009 season was a stellar one for Rivera and the Yankees. He again won the AL Rolaids Relief Man award and the Delivery Man of the Year award. He finished the season with 44 saves, 72 strikeouts to 12 walks, and a 1.76 ERA in 66 games. The postseason led to a World Series championship for the Yankees and Rivera did his part to help the team. In 12 games, he gave up 10 hits and 1 run, and he had 5 saves and a 0.56 ERA. He struck out 14 batters and walked 5 in 16.0 innings.

Rivera had good seasons in 2010 and 2011. He had a 1.80 ERA the first year and a 1.91 ERA the second year. He finished the 2010 season with 33 saves and 45 strikeouts to 11 walks in 61 games. His numbers were slightly better in 2011, when he had 44 saves and 60 strikeouts to 8 walks in 64 games. He again played in the postseason both years. In 2010, he gave up 4 hits and no runs and had 3 saves in 6 games. The following season, he gave up no hits in 1.1 innings in 2 games.

In 2012, a freak accident during batting practice kept Rivera out for almost the entire season. He pitched in only nine games prior to his injury. This was the only time Rivera missed a significant amount of time due to an injury.

Rivera came back strong in 2013, to finish his career with the AL Comeback Player of the Year award. He finished his last season with 6 wins and 2 losses, 44 saves, 54 strikeouts to 9 walks, and a 2.11 ERA in 64.0 innings in 64 games.

Awards and MLB Records

  • AL Rolaids Relief Man (5 times)
  • Delivery Man of the Year (3 times)
  • World Series MVP in 1999
  • AL Comeback Player of the Year in 2013
  • Led AL in saves (3 times)

Career Statistics

Statistics for Rivera in 16 seasons (1996-2011) in the major leagues include:

  • 14 seasons with over 60 games played, with a high of 74 in 2004
  • 15 seasons with an ERA under 3.00, with 11 of those seasons with an ERA under 2.00, with a low of 1.38 in 2005
  • 15 seasons with over 25 saves, with 8 of those seasons with 40 or more saves, with a high of 53 in 2004

Career pitching statistics for Rivera include:

  • 1,115 games played
  • 1,283.2 innings pitched
  • 82-60 win-loss record
  • 652 saves
  • 1,173 strikeouts to 286 walks
  • 2.21 ERA

Career postseason statistics for Rivera include:

  • 96 games played
  • 141.0 innings pitched
  • 110 strikeouts to 21 walks
  • 86 hits
  • 13 runs
  • 2 home runs
  • 42 saves
  • 0.70 ERA

Post Playing Career

In 2013, Rivera's autobiography, "The Closer: My Story," was published.

Sources for Information
Wikipedia - Mariano Rivera
ESPN Sports - Mariano Rivera